Sheet feeding device



Aug. 20, 1935. A. WORMSER SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed July 16, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 2@, 19535; A WORM ER 2,011,744

SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed July 16, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. WORMSER SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Aug. 20, 1935.

Filed July 16, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 --Aug. 20, 1935. A. WORMSER E SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed July 16, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 20, 1935. A. WORMSER 2,011,744

SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed July 16, 1934 V 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 20, 193i? UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFlCE snnn'r FEEDING DEVICE Arthur Wormser, Oflenbach-on-the-Main,

' Germany Application July 16,1934. Serial No. assess 1n Germany'July 8, 1931 13 Claims. (01. zit-53) In sheet printing machines it has formerly been disposition of the new feeding mechanism. Figs. customary to feed'the sheet'from the registering 2-13 show diagrammatically different embodidevice to the rotary impression cylinder by simments of the insertionof a spring into a double ply closing the cylinder grippers as they pass cinematic chain. .Figs. 14-16 show the applica- 6 by the front edge of .the registered sheet, so that tion of the new cinematic chain for driving the the sheet is abruptly accelerated to the full speed sheet feeding mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1. of thecylinder. When the speeds of the ma- Referring to. Fig. 1 the sheet I which is to be chine were augmented, it was preferred to pro- 'fed and which rests on a feeding table 2 has vide oscillating intermediate grippers which been brought by hand or. by an automatic feeder.

seize the sheet at rest and feed it to the cylinder into contact with the front lays 3 and is registered 10 by accelerating it little by little. Nevertheless there at the front and laterally. The front lays the acceleration of the intermediate grippers has 3 are fixed to arms 4 which in their turn are fixed to be performed in avery short time when the mato a shaft 5 and carry the grippers 6 opened and chine is running fast, and consequently strong closed by the customary devices. One of the acceleration forces arise which are detrimental arms 4 is connected by a connecting rod I with a 15 to the smooth running of the machine and to lever 8, rocking around the pivot 9. On ,a pivot keeping register. I0 fixed to lever 8 turns a cam roller I l which The present invention has for its primary object presses against a rotating cam l2 in consequence the provision of intermediate grippers rotating of a spring l3 applied to the end of lever 8. By

without interruption, but at varying speed which these means a rocking movement is given'to the 20 seize the sheet at a speed lower than the cylarms 4 and the partscontained by it with speeds inder speed and accelerate it up to the cylinder depending on the shape of the cam l2.

speed. The sheet may be fed to these interme- I4 is a shaft rotating at constant speed, thediate grippers from rest or at a low feeding speed gear wheel which drives it not being shown. On by any suitable means. the shaft I4 is fixed an arm l5 at the end of 25 Another object of the present invention is the which is fixed a pivot it. A bell crank lever II provision of new means for moving said interis adapted to rock about the pivot l6, when the mediate grippers with such'exactness as is neces- I roller i8 rolls on the stationary cam IS in consary to keep register. These new means consist sequence of the rotation of the arm I5. A spring in the connection of the intermediate gripper 28 D e the 1:011" against the cam By 30 shaft, with its driving shaft by two chains of means of the connecting rod 20 the rocking move-' cinematic links in one of which is inserted a spring ment of the bell crank lever I1 is transferred to which gives a continuous pressure to all links of arms 2| which are fixed to a sleeve 22 rocking the cinematic chains. loosely around the shaft M. The arms 2! carry .In this sentence and wherever in the following the gripper device 23, the. customary device for 35 the expression is used, by cinematicchain may opening and closing the grippers not being shown. be designated a series of machine partspivotally The effect of: the mechanism described in the connected, meshing with each other or being in foregoing is that the grippers 23 participate in any other movable connection.v Each of these the general rotation of the shaft 14, but move 40 machine parts is called a link of the cinematic slower and faster than this shaft in accordance 40 chain. If the cinematic chain is ofsuch a kind .with the shape of cam l9. that the last link is in movable connection with The gripper blocks 24 of the grippers 23 move the first link the chain is called a cinematic on a circle around the axis of shaft l4 tangential circle. v to the arc described by the blocks of the grippers 'In order that the invention and certain details 6 and to the circle described by the surface of 45 of the construction may be more readily underthe impression cylinder 25 containing the gripper stood, different embodiments of the invention have device 26. A second cylinder 2'! presses against been illustrated in the accompanying drawings. the impression cylinder 25 and the sheet to be It is clear, however, that the invention may be printed moves between the cylinders 25 and 21.

embodied in other'and various constructions and The operation of the above-described device is 50 forms without departure from the essence therethe following. During the registration of sheet I of, so that the drawings "and description are to the arms 4 are at rest in the position shown in the be taken in an illustrating rather than in a redrawings in consequence of the circular part of stricting sense. I cam l2. After the sheet has been registered Fig. 1'is a diagrammatic view of thegeneral the grippers 6 are closed and the arms 4 are 55 turned to the left (Fig. 1) with accelerating speed. When the grippers 6 have reached the point where their path touches the path of the grippers 23, the speed of both sets of grippers is equal, but this common speed is lower than the peripheral speed of the impression cylinder 25. Now the front edge of the sheet is trans ferred from grippers 6 togrippers 23 by the abovementioned gripper'opening and closing devices,'

not shown. The shape of the cam I9 is such that after the transferring ofthe'sheet-to the grippers 23, the speed of the sheet is accelerated up to the point where the front edge of the sheet is transferred from the grippers 23"to the grippers 26 on the impression cylinder 25. In the remaining part of the rotation of the .grippers 23 their speed has no influence on the feeding of the sheet, but depends on the relation between the circumference described ,by grippers 23 and the circumference of the impression cylinderl25. This relation not necessarily is one to one as shownin the drawings.

It is obvious that-by the. device described the total acceleration from rest to cylinder speedis divided and consequently each of the gripper sets 6 and 23 together with the machine parts bearing them move very smoothly and without excessive accelerating forces arising. It is not necessary that the intermediate grippers move on a circle, but they may be moved on an oblong path by a chain or the like.

Instead of the gripper sets 6 .and 23 the sheet can be held by suction nozzles or other holding means.

The front lays can be arranged in combination with the feeding table instead of with the rocking rangement it would not be necessary to bring the sheets to rest on the feeding table. 2, and the transfer means 4 could engage the sheets at the speed at which they are being fed over said table.

/ The arrangement and manner of operation of the other cooperating mechanism. could remain sub stantially as described herein.

In consequence of the play at the pivots the movements of the grippers 6 and 23 are not so exact as it is necessary to keep register at the "transferring points. This play at the arms 4 may be overcome by applying the spring l3 immediately at the arms 4. But this has the drawback that the. spring must be very strong and at the same time very elastic. At the arms 2|- the application of a spring in the customary. way is impossible, Lecause these arms rotate. To overcome these dimculties .the same fundamental solution can be applied, this solution' allowing a large number of different embodiments. The application of this new principleto the above described feeding mechanism is described subsequently. '--In the first place however a' detailed description of several embodiments showing some of the different kinds of mechanism possible be given.

In Fig. 2 a rotating shaft is designated by 3|. Fixed'on this shaft are two cams 32, 33. A lever 35 and an arm 36 rock around a pivot 34. The

arm 36 bears a roller 38 and the lever 35 a roller 31, which run on the cams 32 and 33 respectively. The crooked arm 39 of'the lever 35 bears against a spring 40 which presses against the arm 36. A connecting rod 3| connects the pivot 43 on the lever 35 with the pivot 44 on the bell crank lever 42, rocking with a shaft 45. This rocking lever indicates that part of the machine which is to be moved by the cams 32 and 33 and which for instance may consist of the intermediate grippers of a printing press. It has been mentioned before that the part to be driven with absolute exactness is to be connected with a drivmg shaft by two cinematic chains and that a spring is to be inserted in one of them. In this case thecinematic chains are very short and simple. The one chain consists of driving shaft 3|, cam 32, roller 31 and lever 35. The other chain consists of driving shaft 3|, cam 33, roller 38, arm 36, spring 40 and lever 35 again.

This simple device shows all fundamental qualitics of the present solution of the problem. On one hand the driven part 35 is subjected to the constant pressure of spring 40 so that 'any play existing in pivot 34 or resulting from a lack of contact between roller 31 and cam 32 is eliminated (which in this case could be performed by a simple spring with one fixed point applied to the lever 35). On the other hand by employing acam 33 of suitable shapethe elastic deformation of the n spring 40 can be made as small as desired so that it even may be under a constant pressure without any deformation at all (which can only be attained by the present solution).

By the double connection of the machine part 35 with the driving shaft 3|, as in ,other cases too, a circle of cinematic links is formed. Such a cinematic circle does away with the play in all links which are a part of the circle, but it does not do so with the parts which are linked to it outside of the circle. Thus the play in the pivots 43,44,- which connect the lever 35 with the intermediate grippers 42 and the play in the pivot 45 are not influenced by the device shown in Fig. 2. If this play is to be eliminated, so that the position of the intermediate grippers 42 in relation to an-impression cylinder, which is diagrammatically indicated by the circle 5| concentric to the shaft 3|, will be absolutely definite at every moment, it is necessary to form a circle containing 1 both parts of the machine which are to be precisely mutually dependent i. e. the intermediate grippers 52 and the shaft 3|. This has been done in'a device shown in Fig. 3.

The circle 5| again designates the impression cylinder of a printing press, secured to the shaft of which are cams 52, 53. On cam 52 runs a roller 55 carried on lever 54. This lever is connected by connecting rod 56 with bell crank lever 57 which again designates the intermediate grippers. An-

other connecting rod 58 connects the intermediate grippers with an arm 59 which turns freely around the pivot '66. About the same pivot rocks an arm.'6| at the end of which is supported an idle roller 62. On the upper sideof the lever 6| is a lug against which bears a spring 63 the m r end of which presses against the arm 59. T s

' spring 63 produces strains in the whole cinematic chain and presses the rollers 55, 62 on to the cams 52, 53 respectively. If the cams have a suitable shape the spring suffers-no elastic deformation.

' The relative position of the intermediate grip pers 51 and thecylinder 5| is now securely defined because they are contained in one cinematic circle." A drive of this kind may be providd with v 2,011,744 supplementary teeth the function of which willv uniformly rotating links is shown. The circle consists of six spur wheels II to 'lfimeshing with each other. One of the gear wheels H is fixed on the rotating part A which is to be brought into exact interrelation with a second part B fixed to the gear wheel H. The whole circle is driven by a pinion I1 meshing with the gear wheel II. If the wheels 15, 16 are omitted and the whole run;

without load then the gear wheel 14 and the part B connected to it will not be in exact relation'to the part A in consequence of the play between the gear teeth. The gear wheels I5. 73 alone do not improve this condition but a spring which gives tension to the whole circle must be incorporated at some suitable point. In the embodiment'shown in Fig. 'of the drawings, the gear wheel 16 of Fig. 4 is represented as two gear wheels, 16', 16" either of which is loose on their common shaft 192. .Between lugs 88', 88 is inserted a spring 18 which urges the two gear wheels in opposite directions. Instead of one gear wheel 4 13 two wheels I3, 13" are provided so that the wheel 12 is in the same plane-as the wheel H The arrows in Fig. 4 show, that the spring 18 tends to turn one part of the gear wheels H to T5 in one direction, and the other part of the wheels in the opposite direction. As far as the play in the teeth allows all'wheels except the first driven wheel II can follow the pressure of the spring, so that finally the wheel II is clamped between two forces compensating each other whereby the whole cinematic circle is under tension andall meshing teeth under pressure. When the device is rotating the pressure works in one'part of the circle in the sense of the rotation and in the other part against the rotation so that eventual y the driving wheel receives'from the spring as much energy as is taken from it.

As shown by the arrows the pressure on the teeth'of the wheels I I and I5 exerted by the spring inserted between the wheels 16], 16" has an outward direction at the meshing point. It is possible therefore to apply a device other than the spring rotating with the wheels 16', 16" but giving rise to the same efiect. This equivalent device is shown in Fig. 6 in which only that part of the cinematic circle is shown which contains the spring. The shaft 19" of a single wheel 16 is so supported in a sliding bearing that it can be pressed outwards in the guides 19' by a spring 18' which does not rotate, but gears against a fixed part 80" of the machine.

The two possibilities of rotating and non-rotating springs exist in all forms of application ofthe invention to devices rotating either with constant or with variable speed. The number of the meshing wheels is of no influence. Instead of gear wheels the circle may contain bevel gears or helical gears or even levers or the like. The number of partsto be brought into exact interrelation may be more than two. Such parts can for example be connected withthe wheels 12, 13, I5 and so on in Fig. 4, and. similarly further exactly driven parts can be attached in Fig. 3.

Within wide limits it is permissible to insert.

the sense of the rotation and is driving and in the other one it acts against the rotation thus giving. rise to load. (This is not so in oscillating devices, .as there the spring has the effect of driving and giving rise to load alternatively in the same part of the cinematic circle.) In that part of the cinematic circle in which the spring is driving resistances which could arise must is overcome by the force of the spring; consequently it is possible thatthe spring is compressed and the teeth come out of contact, whereby the definite relation between the wheels concerned and the parts connected with them will be disturbed. In the other part of the circle, however, in which the spring is giving rise to load, the resistances are overcome by the pressure of one tooth against the other one; thus the exact relation is maintained. It is recommendable therefore to choose the dispositionof the parts and the sense of-the revolution so that the spring is pressing against the sense of the rotation on those parts which must be in exact interrelation and on all wheels inserted between them, F

V The only and suflicient condition for reachin this state resides in that within the cinematic circle the drive and the spring on the one hand and the two parts to be brought into exact relation on the other. hand follow each other and the two pairs' do not overlap; but it is admissible to apply either the spring or the drive immediately to one of the two parts to be brought into exact relation. From the foregoing it follows that the device shown in Fig. 4 ought to be driven in the sense indicated by the double arrow at the top of pinion l7. Deviations from the indicated mode'are admissible, provided that the spring is strong enough to overcome all resistances which arise-as for instance in the case of oscillating devices where it must always overcome the resistance in one of the two directions of motion.

The foregoing fully applies to devices in which the two essential parts A and B (Fig. 4) do not turn proportionately, but are connected by a device which makes the two parts rotate at speeds deviating from such proportionateness. Such a speed varying device which could be inserted e. g. between the wheels 12 and M of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4. is shown in the two draw-- ings Figs. 7 and 8. The gear wheels 12, 13', 13" and M correspond to the parts designated by the'same numbers in Figs. 4 and 5. Between the gears 13' and 13" is a planetary bevel gearing. The planetary gear 8| turns loosely around a pivot 83 which is fixed to a bell crank lever 82. This bell crank lever rocks around a shaft 84 which carries the gear wheels 13, 13", so that the planetary gear 8| when rocking keeps in con-- tact with two bevel gears 85, 88 which are fixed to the spur wheels 13' and 13" respectively. The rocking movement of the bell crank lever 82 is produced by a cam 81 and its counter-cam 88 on which the rollers 9|, 92 run. These rollers are supported by a bell crank lever 82 by connecting rod. v

If such a device, by which the speeds are varied, is inserted into the cinematic circle shown in Figs. 4 and 5, no other change has to be made (except that if the device is of the nature shown in Figs. '7 and 8 for instance, so that it changes the sense of the revolution, an intermediate gear must be inserted somewhere between the wheels H and 14, so that the changing of the sense of rotation is compensated for). Indeed'the wheel tive motion between the two wheels is allowable in consequenceof the elasticity of the spring I8 the effect of which on the whole circle is not interferred with, provided that the speed variation is not too considerable.

But if instead of the rotating spring a non-rotating spring of the type shown in Fig. 6 is inserted, the relative motion of the wheel against wheel H moves the shaft 19" inward and outward so that either the teeth would get out of mesh or would be jammed. It is necessary therefore to provide for the correct meshing of the wheels if a non-rotating spring is applied to a device with varying speed. This has been done in the mechanism shown in Fig. 9, in which the wheels H and 15 and the path on which the shaft 19" of the wheel 16' moves are concentric. The wheel I I here has internal gearing with which the pinion 16 supported by the bell crank lever 93 meshes and on which it rolls to and fro when the wheel 15 turns at a different speed from the wheel II. The pinion I6 is constantlyurged in onedirection by the stationary spring 94.

itselastic deformation. These drawbacks i. e

the need of inserting the spring in a definite link of the circle and the big elastic deformation, are done away with, if a second speed varying device is inserted which .exactly compensates-for the eiiect of the first speed varying device. In a cinematic circle containing two speed varying devices of this kind the spring may be inserted at any desired point and nevertheless it always acts between parts which have speeds equal to each other although their actual speed may vary. In spite of the varying speed the spring is thus subjected to a constant pressure, exactly as in a mechanism turning with constant speed.

The devices shown-in Figs. 2 and 3 maybe interpreted as examples of devices with varying speeds. The springs 40 or 63 are not deformed because the counter-cam 33 or 53 compensates for the variation of speed produced by the cam 32 or 42.

A rotating mechanism with two speed varying devices compensating each other is shown in Fig. I 0. Between wheels .13. and 13" the device shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is inserted. Between the wheels I6 and 16" a second planetary bevel gearing of exactly the same type is inserted, the parts of which are designated by the same numbers as in Figs. '7 and 8, the letter a being added. The spring I8 is inserted in the wheel 15 as it was in the wheel 16 in Fig. .4. Provided that the cams 81a, 88a exactly compensate for the speed variationproduced by the earns 81, 88 this spring 18 in wheel 15 now rotates with varying speed,

' but with constant pressure. It could be inserted at different other points. Thus it may be inserted between the two bell crank levers 82a and 90a instead of the connecting rod 89a. It

would then move up and down without elastic.

which the rotating spring is arranged at that point where the difference of the speed is produced and nevertheless it acts without deformation although no planetary gear is applied. [0| is a stationary cam around which the wheel I02 turns either with constant or with varying 'speed. On the wheel I 02 is fixed a pivot I03 on which a lever I04 is rocked by the roller I05 at its end rolling on the cam H. In consequence of the rocking of lever I04 the other end of the lever receives a motion relative to the wheel I02. This motion is transferred by the spring ID! to a pivot I08 which is fixed to another spur wheel- I09 concentric with the wheelllllf. If the cam 80! is appropriately shaped the spring I01 is subjected to no deformation. If the spring is inspring need not be of high precision either in their shape or, if they rotate, in their drive, because any deviation is counterbalanced by the elasticity of the spring. If the deviation becomes considerable, one could call such mechanisms intermediate embodiments between those, with an undeformed spring and those in which the whole difference of speed is compensated for by the elasticity of the spring.

A cinematic circle in which are inserted the supplementary teeth mentioned before operates exactly like a circle without such teeth during that time at which-the supplementary teeth are not in mesh. In Fig. 13 is shown what happens with a mechanism similar to that shown in Fig.

3 for instance whilst the supplementary teeth are meshing. In this drawing all parts are designated with ,the same numbers as in Fig. '3 and the only difference between the two figures is teeth 64, 65, intermediate grippers 51 and the parts 58 to 63. Within this new cinematic circle the spring 63 operates without deformation exactly as before and nevertheless gives pressure to the whole circle. The teeth 64, 65 are pressed against each other and the intermediate grippers have an absolutely exact position in relation to the impression cylinder 5| when the sheet is transferred.

In a similar way supplementary teeth may be applied in'a rotary mechanism. In Fig. 4 for example the axes of the wheels "H and 14 could be arranged so that the circumferences of these wheels touch each other and supplementary teeth could be provided on the shafts A and B, so that the wheels 12, 13 become idle and a partial cine matic circle containing the spring is produced which consists of the supplementary teeth and the wheels 14, 15, 16, 'Il.

Besides the partial circle containing the spring a second partial circle is always produced by the meshing of the supplementary teeth. This sec-' ond circle, consisting in the case of Fig. 4 of the wheels 1 I, 12, I3, 14 and the supplementary teeth does not contain any spring and the danger of breakages therefore arises, precisely in the same Way as'if in Fig. 13 the roller were prevented by a grooved cam from being lifted from the ,cam 52. This danger can be avoided by dismechanism would not be worse than that showninFig. 13, but the advantage of a desmodromic drive during the time in which the supplementary teeth do not act would be lost. If on the other hand it is desired to maintain the drive by cam and counter-cam and for this purpose a clearance'is left between the cams in that part of the circumference at which the rollers are located whilst the supplementary teeth work (as would also have. been possible in the mechanism shown in.Fig. 13) the initial meshing of the supplementary teeth would become less accurate, because the clearance must begin before the teeth touch each other to avoid strains. A new disposition has therefore been provided by which a second spring is caused to operate only when the supplementary teeth are in contact, whilst during the rest of the time the drive is desmodromic. This device will be described later.

Figs. 14 to 16 show a constructional form of the drive of the intermediate grippers.

II I is the rotary impression cylinder of a printing press corresponding to 25 in Fig. 1. Its shaft I21 is supported by bearings in the side frames II3a, II3b. Secured to either end of the shaft are spur wheels 5a, 51). With one of these spur wheels meshes the pinion II2 which drives the cylinder. Similarly to the parts H3, H5 designated here by a and b all the parts described in the following and designated by these letters are arranged twice so that the corresponding parts on each. side of the machine are exactly the same; theyare described therefore only once for the left-hand side of the Fig. 14. A spur wheel III-lameshes with the wheel II5a. It is fixed to a shaft H10. on which outside of the side frame is fixed another spur wheel IIBa. This drives the wheels II9a, I20a and eventually the wheel I2Ia which turns loosely on the shaft I22'supported in the side frames and bearing the intermediate grippers II4 corresponding to 23 in Fig; 1. Fixed to the spur wheel l2la is a bevel gear I23a and fixed to the shaft I,22is'a similar bevel gear I26 a. with these two bevel gears meshes another bevel gear I25a supported by a rocking frame I24a which turns loosely around the shaft I22, so that the bevel gear I25a may act as a. planetary wheel.

Whilst the ,same parts 51) to I261; on the right-hand side of the machine correspond to the parts 5a to I2Iia on the left-hand side, the parts connected with the frames I24a and I241) are different.

, In Fig. 15 and on the left of Fig. 14, the drive of the. frame I240. is shown. A cam I28 and a counter-cam I29 are fixed to the shaft I21 of the On these cams run the impression cylinder II I. rollers I30, I3I which are supported by two levers I33, I34 mounted loosely on a stationary pivot I32. The lever I30 is connected by the connecting rod I35 with the frame I34a. Each of the levers I33, I34 has acrooked extension. Provided in the extension. I36 of the lever I33 is an adjustable set screw I31 which bears against the lever I34. The extension I38 of the lever I34 presses against the lever I33 by means of a spring On the other side of the machine as shown in As the intermediate grippers I I4 rotate without 10 interruption (although with varying speed) the sheet registered on the feeding table I45 is fed' to the intermediate grippers by a feeding device I45 corresponding to 4 in Fig. 1. Fixed to this feeding device are teeth I41; when the sheet is trans- 15 ferred from the feeding device to the intermediate grippers, the teeth I41 mesh with the same teeth I44 on the intermediate grippers which also mesh with the teeth I43 on the impression cylinder. Of course, the relative position of the feeding device I46 with respect to the intermediate grippers II4 must also be definite. It is preferred therefore to use a device similar to that shown in Fig. 13.

The operation of the above-described construction is as follows. The uniform revolution of the shaft I22 of the intermediate grippers which would result if the frame I24a were stationary has superimposed on it an oscillatory movement by the cams I28, I29 by means of the planetary gear I25a. Hence the sum of the two movements is a varying speed without any rest. The shape of the cams I28, I29 is such that the speed of the intermediate grippers I I4 at the two transferring points is exactly equal to the speed of the feeding device I46 and to the speed of the impression cylinder I I I respectively. In addition the shapes of the two cams correspond to each other in such a way that the lever I34 constantly presses against the adjustable set screw I31. Consequently the frame I24 is turned to the right in'desmodromic manner by roller I30, lever I33 and connecting rod I35 whilst it is turned to the left in like manner by roller I3I, lever I34,.set screw I31. crooked arm I33, lever I33 and connecting rod I35.

Any play in the different wheels is eliminated. by the one spring I. It is easily to be seen that by means of the planetary gear I251) the spring gives'rise to load on all wheels on the left-hand side of Fig. I4 and on the wheel I23b on the right-hand side. Thus the shaft I22 of the intermediate, grippers is constantly urged against the sense of rotation. In consequence of the circular movement of the pivot I42, the lower end of the spring I4I moves very similarly to its upper end which goes up and down when the planetary gear I25b is moved to and fro corresponding to the difference in the speeds of the wheels I 23b and I2Iib. Thus the spring I4I is subjected to a very small elastic deformation only.

Up till now the operation of the cinematic circle has been described, as it takes place during the whole time the supplementary teeth do not mesh. Evidently during this time the spring I39 is idle,'so that the two levers I33, I34 could have been combined and the spring I39 and the set screw I31 dispensed with. But in consequence of the meshing of the supplementary teeth the whole cinematic circle is divided into two partial circles each of which operates in accordance with the present invention.

right-hand side of the machine, is elastic in I the added connecting rod.

consequence of the spring I4I. This spring gives rise to load on the immediate drive of the intermediate grippers IIQ from the cylinder III, which is produced by the supplementary teeth I43, I44, just as it did before when the grippers were driven by the parts designated by a.

But the second part of the circle containing the parts a and the teeth I43, I44 is rigid-and is subject to the danger of breakage if the supplementary teeth mesh with appreciable pressure. For this reason a certain clearance is given to the cams I28, I29 at that point where the rollers I30, I3I are located when the sheet is at the two transferring points from the feeding device to the intermediate grippers and from the intermediate grippers to the impression cylinder. In consequence of this clearance in the cams I28, I29, the spring I39 which bears against the crooked arm I38 and presses the roller I3I against the cam I29 is extended slightly and the set screw I31 ceases to bear against the lever I34., If now the teeth I44 are touched by the teeth I43 or I and moved a little in advance of that position to which the cams I28, I29 would have brought them, they lift the connecting rod I35 and the leven I33 a small distance and the spring I39 is compressed again;

If the clearance in the cams is bigger than the amonnt by which the roller I30 on lever I33 is lifted by the contact of the supplementary teeth, the spring I39 for a moment acts in the left-hand partial circle exactly as the spring I4I does in the right-hand partial circle.

The fact that and the manner in which the mechanism described fulfills all postulates of a sheet feeding device is evident. Here some possible variations may be added;

If it is described to eliminate the whole clearance in the drive of frame I24a, a second connecting rod may be added as has been shown in Figs. 3 and 13, so that a complete cinematic circle is produced which contains not only the cams I28, I29, levers I33, I04 and spring I39, but also the connecting rod I35, frame H411 and shown in Figs. 14 and 15 serves as an example of the application of the invention in such a. way that the whole drive of the two parts which are to be brought into exact interrelation is not involved but only the clearance in a part of the drive is eliminated.- This kind of drive is applicable if excessive play is not to be expected in the parts excluded from the cinematic circle. I It has been explained that it is possible in Figs. 7. and 8 to apply a speed varying device which is not desmodromic. In such a case the whole mechanism can .be disposed so that the spring which gives rise to load on the whole circle, at the same time urges the roller 9| against the cam 81 and a separate spring for this purpose is not necessary.

As has been mentioned, more than two parts with exact interrelation may be incorporated in one cinematic circle. In this case the speed of for example the planetary wheel '8Ia could be The mechanism I divided into two and a spring could be arranged between them in a similar way to the spring I8 in the wheel 15.

The mechanisms described may be used in machines other than printing presses wherever the precise mutual interdependence of elements is to be produced.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a sheet feeding device, an impression cylinder, means forimparting motion to the periphery of said-cylinder, a set of grippers for transferring a sheet to said cylinder, means for feeding-said sheet and transferring it to said grippers, and means for imparting to said grippers a continuous rotary movement of varying speed equal to the speed given to the sheet by the sheet feeding means- .at the point where the sheet is transferred to the grippers and equal to the Peripheral speed of the cylinder at the point where the sheet is transferred from the grippers to the cylinder, the speed of said grippers between said feeding means and impression cylinder being at no time greater than the peripheral speed of the cylinder. -2. In combination with a sheet feeding device, an impression cylinder, means for imparttwo or more 'ing motion to the periphery of said cylinder, 2.

set of grippers for transferring a sheet to said cylinder, means for feeding said sheet and transfferring it to said grippers, means for imparting -to said grippers a continuous rotary movement 'of varying speed equal to the speed given to the sheet by the sheet feeding means at the point ,where the sheet is transferred to the grippers ,and equal to the peripheral speed, of the cylinder at the point where the sheet is transferred from the g'ripp ersto the cylinder, the speed of said grippers between said feeding means and impression cylinder being at no time greater than the peripheral speed of thecylinder, and means for driving said set of grippers comprising two cinematic chains connecting the impression cylinder with said setof grippers, one of said chains having a spring in'serted therein for eliminating tuted by the two chains the element which is driven and the spring on the one hand and the two elements which are to be brought into precise mutual interdependence on the other hand, for example, an impression cylinder and the rotating grippers, each constitute a pair of successive elements. v

6. In combination with a sheet feeding de vice, an impression cylinder, means for imparting motion to the periphery of said cylinder, a

' set of grippers for transferring a sheet to said cylinder, means for feeding said sheet and transferring it to said grippers, vmeans for imparting to said grippers a continuous rotary movement of varying speed equal to the speed given to the sheet by the sheet feeding means at the point where the'sheet is transferred to the grippers and equal to the peripheral speed of the cylinder at the point where the sheet is transferred from the grippers to the cylinder, the speed of said grippers between said feeding means and impression cylinder being at no time greater than the peripheral speed of the cylinder, and means for driving said set of grippers comprising two cinematic chains connecting the impression cylinder with said set of grippers, one of said chains having a spring inserted therein for eliminating play from the drive, the elements comprising the impression cylinder and grippers which are to be brought into precise mutual in- 10 terdependence of motion on the one hand and the elements comprising the driven element and the spring on the other hand constituting a cinematic circle in which each'pair of elements are arranged successively, said spring actingagainst the direction of rotation of the cinematic circle in the part of this circle containing the impression cylinder and grippers.

'7. A sheet feeding device according to claim 2 in which each of the two cinematic chains driving the grippers contains a gear for altering the speed and the alterations in speed produced thereby ignoring the possibility of elastic distortion of the spring are equal or substantially A equal so that the spring is subjected to constant or substantially constant tension. I

8. A sheet'feeding device according to claim 2 in which only one of the two cinematic chains driving the gripper means comprises a gear for altering the speed and the alterations in speed produced thereby are balanced out by the alterations in configuration of the spring in the other tortion of the spring, being equal or substantially equal so that the spring is subjected to constant or substantially constant tension.

10. A sheet feeding device according to claim 2 in which one of the two cinematic chains interconnecting the two elements which are to be brought into precise interdependence, for example, the impression cylinder and the rotating grippers, is temporarily replaced'in' known manner by elements coming into direct contact, for example, by individual teeth, the operative connection between the parts temporarily coming into contact being produced by the spring in the other cinematic chain.

11. In combinationwith a sheet feeding de- 'vice, an impression cylinder, means for imparting motion to the periphery of said cylinder, a set of grippers for transferring a sheet to said cylinder, means for feeding said sheet and transferring it to'said grippers, means for imparting to said grippers a continuous rotary movement of varying speed equal tothe speed given to the sheet by the sheet feeding means at the point where the sheet is transferred to the grippers and equal to the peripheral speed of the cylinder at the point where the sheet is transferred from-the grippers to the cylinder, the speed of said grippers between said feeding means and impression cylinder being at no time greater than the peripheral speed of the cylinder, and means for driving said set of grippers comprising two cinematic chains connecting the impression cylinder with said set of grippers,

and individual teeth for contacting each other I for temporarily replacing one of said cinematic chains, the spring of the one cinematic chain establishing contact between said teeth, the other cinematic chain which is normally non- A resilient having a spring and means for renderingsaid springoperative only during the contact of said teeth, said means comprising a pair of dam controlled levers having abutments normally contacting each other and a pair of cams,

said cams having suitable configuration for [I breaking the contact between said'abutments,

and spring means between said levers permitting relative movement.

12. In'sheet feeding mechanism, the .combination of a rotary sheet feeding element, transfer means for conveying sheets to said element,

. a moving sheet carrier adapted to receive sheets from said element, and means for imparting to said element varying, continuous rotary motion,

. the velocity of said element, during the transfer cycle of a sheet from said transfer means to said. element and from said element to said carrier, being never higher than the surface speed of said carrier.

13. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a rotary sheet feeding element, transfer meansfor conveying sheets to said element, a moving sheet carrier adapted to receive sheets from said element, and means including two' cinematic chains for imparting to said element varying, continuous rotary motion, the velocity of said element, during the transfer cycle of a sheet from said transfer means to said element and from said element to said carrier, being never higher than the surface speed ofv said carrier.

ARTHUR WORMSER. 

